and the floor fell out from under me

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2003
and the floor fell out from under me
6
Mon, 11-01-2004 - 6:07pm

Sorry this is a long one but a scare out of the blue will prompt a long rambling entry...and I was doing so well too.


Last night I learned that a full bag of IV fluid will make you have to get up and pee every hour for the entire night. It has been an interesting 24 hours and for the first time in my life I passed out.


I could hear the voices around me but just kind of melted into myself; all because of my low blood sugar. Last October I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and have been managing it with oral meds, the right diet and exercises. In the past year I have had a few instances where my blood sugar has gotten too low but always it was because I had gone too long without eating and once I ate I was fine. Yesterday something went wacky on me.


I’ll skip the long story and keep it short. Around 4:00 I was at the grocery store and started feeling clammy and shaky. I knew the feeling so I went right to the bakery and got myself a muffin and a soda. I checked out and went home. I know that that raw sugar will only raise my blood sugar quickly but that it will not maintain it at the right levels for long. So I had a good dinner. Roast beef, broccoli and roast potatoes. I was all set or so I thought.


Around 8:30 I went out to walk the dog and started to feel clammy and shaky again. I came right home and tested my blood sugar which was at 32 (normal is 80-110). Thinking for sure it could not be THAT low I tested it again and it was 35. Adam was at work so I called my parents and asked them to come and bring me to their house because I did not want to be alone.


We ended up at the emergency room and I passed out. I remember the car ride over and just really feeling tired and wanting to sleep. It was very odd I could hear everything around me but just didn’t have it in me to respond. By the time they took my blood sugar levels in the ER it was back up to 70 – probably because I took a tablespoon of sugar before leaving the house.



 
Boring part of the story shorted they admitted me to monitor me for the night. I find this funny because I was admitted at midnight and no one came in to check my blood sugar until 5AM! I felt ok so I was not too concerned and it was higher when I got to my room.

In fact it has been on the higher side since I got the IV in the emergency room. Pretty much around 160-180. I saw my primary care doctor this morning and he told me to stay off my medication until Thursday. Not to worry if I am running a little high – he would rather have me a little high than going too low again. On Thursday we are going to start me back on medication at a lower dose, one at a time.


I slept most of today and plan on doing little other than work tonight and tomorrow night before I go to NJ for the day for my big work presentation on Wednesday. Yes, I got doctor’s clearance for that.


So that is what I have been up to for the last 24 hours. Any words of wisdom? Specs of encouragement? I am feeling pretty low right now.

Michelle S.


Come by and learn more about me


www.lifeandthensome.com


dwell in possibility" ~ emily dickinson

Smoochdog (aka Michelle)


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-06-2004
Mon, 11-01-2004 - 11:19pm
I am so sorry it must of been scary. My sugar got to 50 once I was telling my neighber

that I felt so funny. Shaky and stomach cramps. She told me I was just eating too

much breakfast. I had to 2 eggs and 2 peices of turkey bacon and a piece of wheat toast/sugar free jelly. I went and layed down and my dog kept getting closer and cloer to my neck and she kept looking at me(she usually just goes to sleep). So I had my son get my tester and my sugar was 50. I ate something cant remember what it was and called the nurse she said not to skip my next meds. Another morning I was too shaky to get out of bed and had a banana. I felt better but didnt take my sugar right away. Then one morning it was 380 I had nothing more than a few chips ok 1.5 servings the night before. My calorie intake wasnt over 1200. This sugar stuff is hard to figure out.

The doctor said I needed to keep a shot that if I ever had

problems like you did I could give my self a shot or the kids could give it to me(I hope my children never have to experience it so I test alot). I bought some glucose tablets. Am waiting for a referal to see the nutrition Dr and for a

script for the shot and new test strips for my new meter.Since the 23rd.

I would of been terrified if my sugar would of went as low as yours. I test mine alot. more than they want me too. I seperate my medicine by what I need daily so that there is never a mistake on what I took or what I didnt. I just dont understand why the lows and the highs. Mine use to be real high all the time I ate as I pleased. Took my medicine faithfully but ate all the potato's and chocolate covered peanuts that I could.And didnt test my sugar. I have decided that I will when the war with diabetes and am struggling to have good readings. I feel funny in the low 70's and lower. Sorry to post so much but your subject is a worry of mine. Were you under stress? Did you sleep normally? Sorry I dont mean to be nosy but am curios as to what makes the sugars high and low.

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 1:03am

Michelle,


52 is as low as I have been and that isn't fun either. I certainly hope you are feeling better. I hope you didn't scare your parents too much.


Now the nurse in me needs to tell you that you should have dialed 911 and had an ambulance take you to the hospital. They most likely would have given you a shot of glucagon. Also I wonder if they checked you for a infection, such as a bladder infection or a sinus infection. In some diabetics infections cause a severe drop drop in blood sugar. Also after one of these episodes you need to test before you take part in any physical activity. You need to make sure your blood sugar has returned to a level that will allow physical activity and you need to have eaten at least 30 minutes before you start. It would be a good idea for you to carry some glucose tabs in your pocket when you go out.


It is good that you are resting up and I am sure you feel really wiped out. I hope your presentation goes well. Test your blood sugar is you can before you start as the stress can make your blood sugar do stupid things also.


Please take care of yourself and let us know how you are doing.

Mary Frances


cl-maryfrances40

Co-CL Diabetes Board


iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 8:07am
Michelle,

Sorry to hear of your experience, I know it can be very frightening. I had an episode of diabetic shock, my Mom found me unconcious on the floor, dripping in sweat, she called 911. When they arrived I am told my body was convulsing, my blood sugar was 23...I spent 3 days in the hospital getting stabilized. Since this episode my endo gave me a script for a glucagon injection to keep on hand "just in case", family has been trained on how to administer. It was very frightening, I have no memory of the incident, I woke in the ER thankful Mom found me and sorry that I scared her so. I also carry glucose tablets everywhere I go now.

I do hope you are feeling better.

Jan

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2003
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 11:22am

Hi MaryFrances - Yes I thought about the ambulance route but well you know....and I knew my BS woudl go up after eating the sugar- as I said by the time I got there it was at 70 so they gave me a Dexatrrose drip and no shot of the glucose.


I am feelign much better today and off meds my bs has been between 113 fasting and 148. Last night after dinner it went to 200 but came down within the hour.


I will let you all know how my presentation goes tomorrow and of course what the doctor says Thursday.

Michelle S.


Come by and learn more about me


www.smoochdog.com


"dwell in possibility" ~ emily dickinson

Smoochdog (aka Michelle)


iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2003
Tue, 11-02-2004 - 11:41am

Thanks for your post. It is always helpful to my emotions to hear from others who are going through the same thing. I agree sometimes the shole sugar level things can make NO sense.

Smoochdog (aka Michelle)


iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2004
Mon, 11-08-2004 - 8:52pm
Gosh...the description of the "attack" sure sounds familiar. I had a couple of episodes this last summer which I initially thought were due to dehydration. Wrong, Mr. Bill!

The good thing was all 3 times I was fairly close to home. I keep OJ (baby servings 4oz) in my fridge. Since the last one, I have one in my glove compartment, too. Sure does scare people when one has such a thing happen to them. I was in Target in August which is still really hot in AZ. I felt weak and somewhat confused. Went searching for a candy bar which would digest fairly quickly. I went to one of the guards to get me a glass of water, and he just blew me off. The guy who had been standing in back of me in line asked if I wanted the EMT's. I, of course, said "no". They would have taken me to the hospital where I used to work, and I would have been terribly embarrassed! Ate the candy bar, drank some water the firefighter gave me (yep, he was a firefighter!), sat in Target for a bit, sat in my car for a bit, turned on the A/C full blast and headed home. Blood sugar was about 130 when I got home. So, I know I was quite low at Target.

The lowest I've gotten, I think, has been 63 which scared the pants off me. Thank God I had the wits to take the OJ and retest. I have a cat that has awakened me a couple of times in the middle of the night. I think she knew something was wrong with me. When I tested, I was approaching high 60's. I sure can tell you that I've been much more careful to eat something before I go shop and to be well hydrated. I also test before I go to bed just to make sure I won't bottom out in the middle of the night.

Glad you're better now...and I hope you stay that way!